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The Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy Instrumental Music Program began in 1999 in
conjunction with the start of full day programs at the Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy. Since then, the band program has grown to include 380 instrumentalists in five bands from grades 6 to 12. The bands have performed in local landmarks such as the Heritage and Temple Theatres, as well as in SASA’s own theatre.
Students from the SASA Band program compete in statewide competitions such as Solo
& Ensemble and Band Festivals and regularly take home "1's", the highest possible grades for exemplary performance.
Course Outline & Class Expectations:
Instrumental Music High School - Students will spend the entire school year developing playing and listening skills to an advanced level on their instrument. Technique books and music will be provided. Focus will be on group and individual performance skills. A greater variety of musical styles will be incorporated. Students will be able to compete in various band competitions. Concerts will be scheduled for the holiday season and spring. Individual playing tests weekly will monitor student progress. By the end of the year students will be able to demonstrate all skills from previous years plus: all major and minor scales (harmonic form), perform complex musical arrangements, demonstrate a working awareness of musical terms and commands, demonstrate emotion through the use of dynamics and tempo, perform complete solos with accompaniment.
News & Announcements
SASA ranked FIFTH in Michigan on State's 'Top to Bottom' Schools List
Congratulations to SASA Faculty, students and parents -- you deserve the ranking for your hard work and dedication!!!
http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2010/08/saginaw_arts_sciences_academy_1.html
Fall Student Orientation Dates -- RETURNING Students' Orientations scheduled for August 24 at 10 am or 5:30 p.m. in SASA Aud., ---- NEW STUDENTS' Orientation will be September 1 at 6:30 p.m. in SASA Aud., teachers will be present
Congratulations, Mrs. Nash, MI Youth Arts Festival 2010 Arts Administrator of the Year!
Retiring Principal Janet Harris Nash was named the MI Youth Arts Festival Arts Administrator of the Year for 2010, receiving her award at the MYAF annual Festival at Western Michigan University on May 14.
Mrs. Nash was deeply honored to be named as the "MYAF Arts Administrator", a recognition granted for the first time ever by the MYAF organizational board. The MYAF is a state-wide convocation in May of each year for some of the most talented and promising youth artists and teachers from high schools around the state.
Of particular joy to Mrs. Nash was the honor coming in a year when over 25 SASA students qualified to attend the MYAF as student finalists in areas of dance, visual arts, creative writing and music. Many of her students and SASA parents and faculty were in the audience to offer applause highlighting their appreciation and recognition as she was called to the stage of Miller auditorium to receive her award following the MYAF honorees' dinner. Mrs. Nash gratefully thanked the MYAF Board, their Board Member Ruth Ann Knapp who nominated her, the administration of the School District of Saginaw, her SASA community, and her husband, Jack, and her two children, Philip and Gretchen, for supporting her years of efforts on behalf of the arts in Saginaw. She noted that the arts program at SASA has now grown to serve students from over 5 counties in mid-Michigan, and has continued to do so in spite of rising milege costs and other economic hardships for many parents and students. "We may have science and mathematics and industry to thank for much of what has made this country great," she said, "but it is the humanities and the arts that bring joy to our souls to enrich our lives and sustain our hearts."
Congratulations Mrs. Nash, from all of us at SASA, and best wishes to you in all your future experiences in retirement!
School Supplies Needed for Fall Entry to SASA
Supplies needed by students for schooling at SASA are pretty simple -- basic ink pens, #2 pencils, a set of colored pencils, some fine tip markers, and notebooks (1-2 100-sheet spiral notebooks, and 1-2 1" 3-ring binders. Lined paper can be college or standard ruled. Scissors should have rounded tips for middle schoolers. Each student is asked to contribute 1-2 boxes of Kleenex or tissue to their homeroom teacher's classroom.
Most students will eventually need a graphing calculator for math homework, so it is best to have parents plan to get them one capable enough to last them for several years. It should handle through Algebra II/Trig or Calculus, especially if they are in Math/Science as a Concentration. We ask that all parents engrave their child's names on the backs of their calculators to avoid loss. The following statement is from the ACT exam permitted calculator rules. Most commercial packaging for Texas Instrument calculators and other brands will note whether they are allowed on the ACT exam and through which course level the particular calculator model is appropriate. We encourage only those that are permitted on the ACT and MI Merit exam to be purchased for school use. The Texas Instrument models TI-83 and TI-84 (or comparable brands) will meet most students' needs for at least 4 years of math in grades 6-10.
From the ACT rules:
"Only certain types of calculators may be used during the ACT test. Most four-function, scientific or graphing calculators are permitted, but some features may have to be disabled before the calculator can be used. Devices that include calculators among their functions, such as cell phones, laptops, and PDAs, are forbidden, as well as calculators with built-in algebra capabilities or QWERTY keyboard buttons. Also, certain specific models of calculators are forbidden, including the following: all Texas Instruments model numbers that begin with TI-89 and TI-92, as well as the TI-Nspire CAS (the non-CAS TI-Nspire is allowed); the Hewlett-Packard hp 48GII model and all model numbers that begin with hp 40G, hp 49G, or hp 50G; the Casio Algebra fx 2.0, ClassPad 300, and all model numbers that begin with CFX-9970G; and all electronic writing pads or pen-input devices, except for the Sharp EL 9600."
"Prohibited calculators include all calculators in all of the following series:
* Casio CFX-9970G (including, for example, CFX-9970GE)
* Casio Algebra fx 2.0
* Hewlett-Packard HP-40G
* Hewlett-Packard HP-49G
* Texas Instruments TI-89
* Texas Instruments TI-92
(including, for example, TI-92 Plus)"
At SASA, much of the work students will do throughout middle and high school will include electronic research using computers and the internet. SASa is an installed wireless school, so personal student and teacher laptops can be brought to school if they are equipped for wireless access to our network. Laptops that bypass the district network server and filter are prohibited, such as those that operate wirelessly with a direct phone service modem card. SASA has over 140 wireless laps for classroom use, and over 100 desktop units, so individual student laptops are not needed, but are permitted. However, the school is not responsible for loss or damage to student-owned equipment of ANY kind.
We provide students each fall with notebook-style Student Agendas/Planners suitable for recording daily assignments and integrated use in our daily instructional lessons.
Student cell phones and all electronic communication devices are not permitted in keeping with the Board of Education's policy. Non-transmitting Ipods or CD players can be used before or after school, or during the lunch period but are brought to school at the student's own risk in case of loss. The school is building-wide wirelessly-accessible so students may bring personal laptops to school for use through the district network. Like other devices and belongings, students choosing to do so assume all risks for doing so.
Band instruments are discussed in each respective level of Band classes. If students own their own musical instrument, they can bring it after consulting with the teacher on the first day of school. Student in the first level Beginners Band class will have 6 weeks to decide on their instrument and will be fitted at school by a representative from Herter Music. Most SASA parents purchase or lease-to-own an instrument for their child(ren), but are advised to do so only after consultation with the teacher. The investment will pay off -- students can take up to 7 years of band instruction at SASA for credit. We have a limited number of instruments to rent at $40 year; first priority is given to approved free and reduced lunch-eligible students. Percussion kits run about $250.
Any other particulars regarding needed supplies for specific visual arts, theatre or dance classes will be covered in classroom visits during SASA's new student orientation tentatively scheduled for Wed., Sept 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the school.
Specific supply questions can be e-mailed to the principal, Mrs. Melleretha Johnson, at mjohnson@spsd.net for forwarding to the child's teacher(s).
TWENTY-FIVE AND COUNTING -- SASA'S NUMBER OF MI YOUTH ARTS FESTIVAL STUDENTS QUALIFIERS REACHES RECORD LEVEL
With the Michigan Youth Arts Festival just weeks away (May 13-15) at Western MI University, news is arriving nearly daily at SASA identifying additional students as qualifiers to attend the prestigious state-wide convocation of student talent in all areas of visual arts, performance, music and writing.
Our current qualifiers to the 2010 MYAF are as follows:
Rachel Reid 11-12 Gr English/Language Arts (ELA) Concentration Instructor -- MYAF Invitees/Honorees:
Fiction Winners-Certificate of Merit & MYAF Invitees/Honorees:
1. Nickolette DeClerck, "Machine", 12th Grade,
2. John Hanskett, "Pebble Road", 11th Grade,
3. Nick Herd, "More Bars, 11th Grade,
Poetry Winners-Certificate of Merit -- MYAF Invitees/Honorees:
1. Kiri Brasseur, "Thaumatrope", 12th Grade,
2. Jacob Gorski, "You Bring Out The Old Woman In Me (from Sandra
Cisneros)", 11th Grade,
3. Katie Francis, "Tuesday Afternoon" 11th Grade,
4. Sevonna Brown, *The Inside of Me Was Stenciled in Colors of You", 11th Grade,
5. Carly Veverka, "My Grandmother’s Afghan, 11th Grade.
Jared Morningstar, Instructor, ELA Concentration, Gr 9-10; MYAF Invitees/Honorees:
Fiction Winners-Certificate of Merit:
1. Jessica Lalonde, "Waking Dream" (GR 9),
Poetry Winners-Certificate of Merit:
1.Philip Bernstien, "Plastic " (GR 10),
2. Christin DeFord, "Butterflies and Wishing Wells" (GR 10),
3. Precious Humphrey, "Once Golden Eyes" (GR 9),
4. Hope Kemerer, "June Night", (GR 9),
5. Caroline Sawatzki, "Impostor", (GR 9).
Visual Arts 2d: Becky Sullivan, Instructor:
Danny Millar, Gr 12, AHHS/SASA 2D Art.
Senior Danny Millar's work will be exhibited in the Governor's Traveling Show (Top 30 in state), and was adjudicated in the Top 18 in the state.
Music Composition; Mike Brush Instructor:
Hope Currie, Gr 11, SASA.
Dance Performance and Choreography:
This year the SASA High School Dance Concentration will perform two pieces at Michigan Youth Arts Festival at WMU. The two pieces are "Realign", choreographed by Ryan Schmidt (SASA guest teacher), and "Frantic, Fear, Foreseen", choreographed by Alyssa Sauvie (sophomore, SASA).
Both pieces will be performed at the Saturday Morning Dance Showcase Concert. " Frantic, Fear, Foreseen " has also been chosen as one of two dances to be performed at the Thursday night Grand Opening Gala Celebration.
Alyssa Sauvie is the first student choreographer ever to have her work chosen for MYAF performance the opening night Gala Celebration.
Mrs. Meagan Bublitsz is the dance program instructor and principal choreographer for the SASA instructional program.
The nine dancers participating in the MYAF 2010 Dance Showcase are:
Kamahria Crittle (9),
Domonique Freeman (11),
KeeLee Holihan (11),
Starletta King (9),
Jaden Moten (11),
Alyssa Sauvie (10),
Shatarea Simms (10),
Maureen Sullivan (11),
Erika Thomas (11).
Music Performance -- Matthew Corrigan, Bands Instructor:
Three instrumental music students qualified as state semi-finalists; Samuel Wilkins, Erika Trigg and Alex Emonds.
Mr. Morningstar and Mrs. Bublitz will attend the festival as chaperones.
Deepest thanks to the Morley Foundation for funding assistance to make the MYAF experience possible for our students!
SASA Gr . 8 and High School Band Receive ACCOLADES at Spring MSBOA Festival and Solo & Ensemble Festival
The SASA 8th grade concert band and SASA High School band under the direction of Matthew Corrigan each received superior ratings on Saturday, March 6, 2010.
This year the District V MSBOA festival was held at Midland Central Middle School and involved nearly 140 students from the SASA band program. The High School and 8th grade bands not only received superior ratings,(the highest rating possible) but they also received them unanimously from all of the judges. The festival judges grade performances based on instrumental technique, musical interpretation, rhythm, intonation, and overall musicality. Especially impressive was each band's ability to receive superior ratings in the musical sight-reading portion of the competition.
On February 20, 2010 several members of the SASA High School band competed in the 2010 District V Solo and Ensemble Festival. Fourteen students received the highest possible rating. The Mixed chamber group under the direction of Richard Jensen also received a superior rating. This year all fourteen students as well as the Chamber ensemble will go on to compete in the State Final Solo and Ensemble competition on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at Central Michigan University.
Mrs. Nash, Mr. Corrigan and Mr. Jensen are all extremely proud of the High School band accomplishments. Go SASA bands!
SASA Named Silver Medalist School in U.S.News and World Report for Second Year in a Row
In December 2009, the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy was again
named among the top 2.2% high schools in the nation, and this year was the
sole recognized high school in Saginaw County in the 2009 “U.S.
News and World Report Top U.S. High Schools” ranking report.
In all, twenty high schools in Michigan were recognized with
silver or gold medal standings.
The ranking, which began in 2007, is released annually to
recognize the achievements of American High Schools that
achieve highly in preparing significant number of seniors well for
college readiness, as evidenced by quality performance on
Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams.
The index also measures school performance in achievement for
minority and economically disadvantaged students at a rate
comparable to white and higher income students. SASA was
elevated from a bronze medal winner in 2008 to silver medal and
remains as a silver medalist winner this year due to continuing
progress in the areas mentioned above.
Congratualtions to SASA's students, faculty and parents for making SASA a standout program in all of Mid-Michigan!
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